Circuit-controller.



J. M. ANDERSEN.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, I914.

Patented Apr! 4, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. M. ANDERSENQ CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION man FEB. 25. 1914.

1,178,1 21 Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

JOHAN M. ANDERSEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, AS SIGNO R TO ALBERT AND J. M. ANDERSON MANUFACTUBIN G COMPANY, OEBOSTON, MASSAGHUSETTS, A CORPORA- TION 0F MAINE.

To all whom it may concern: Be it knowif that I, J OHAN M. ANDERSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing in- Boston, county of Suifolk,;and State of Massachusetts,-haveiiinvented an Improvement in Circuit-Controllers, of whichthe following description, inconnection-with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings-representing like P I KI -1.1: This invention relates tolan-ele'ctrlc circuit controller-comprising cooperating contact members, one of-which is movable with relation 'tfo the'other and has a sliding en;

gagementtherewith 1 a v The present invention has for its object to provide an electric circuit controller of this,

character with a tapering resistance,jwhich is metallic and substantially great and Which is electrically and mechanically c0n-'-" nected with oneofthe said contactmembers and cooperateswith the other member to have a sliding engagem'ent'therewith, s

asto begradually introducedinto and out out from-th velectric circuit as will be described-4' The-invention is'especially adapted among other. uses, to be embodiedin an. end .cell

switch, and particularly end cell switch of the 'character shown a d described in U..

S. Patent No, 996960 granted to me July 4,

. l911,.wherein a movable cont act member cooperates with a plurality of stationary contact-members arranged in substantially the same" plane, and .with which I the movable 35.

contact member has a sliding engagement and serves to cutjinto oroutof the electric circuit, one or'f more storage battery cells.

The tapering .metallic resistance may be attached to the movable contact-member,"and

be moved with the latter over the stationary contact members, or as is preferred in the construction of end cell switch shown in I the patent, the tapering metallic resistance may be attached to each of the stationary, contact members. I The metallic tapering resistance consists of a plurality of thin metallic members I or leaves, which are spaced apart and arranged with one. edge in substantially the-plane of one surface of the stationary contact member and are electrically separated for a portion of their length and are electrically connected om'curr-oonrnomnn Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 4,1916. Application filed February 25, 1914. Serial no 821,083.-

with the stationary contact member to form a tapering resistance, which is gradually introduced into; and cutout of the circuit, to

tionof an end cell switch provided with a circuit, controller embodying this invention to enable lt tO be understood, and Fig. 2, a

sectionalview on an enlarged scale of one of. the main contact members or terminals shown in"F;ig, and the metallic resistance secured theretdfthe section being taken in a face ofthe main contact member; I-B eferring to the drawings, I have shown inF ig.-1,'-'a'.p0rtion of an end cell switch ubstantiallygsuch as shown and described 2in, the patentreferred to, in which the bars J ql to.13*rep re' sent the connections leading to 'storage"battery cells (not shown) and said connections have terminals 14, which are of substantial width and each of which forms apmaincontzict member, with which cooperhorizontal plane parallel with the'upper sure ates'a, movable contact member 15, which also makes contact with a bus bar 16. Y The movable contact member 15 iscapab'le of being moved in opposite directions from one terminal to another after the manner described -in the ;patent referredto, but inasmuch as the mechanism by which the contact member" 15 is moved, constitutes no part of the present invention, it need not be specifically described herein as it is fullyset forth in the patent referred to.

The main contact members or terminals 14 for the'end cells are spaced apart, and each is provided with one or more tapering metallic resistances 20,- the terminals for the end'cell connections 1 and 13 being each provided with a single resistance 20, and the terminals of the intermediate cell connections being provided with two'resistances, one on each side thereof. In the present instance, I have shown one construction of tapering metallic resistance, which I prefer for use with the end cell switch herein shown.

Each-resistance 20 is preferably made as herein shown, see Fig. 2, and consists of a long metal strip 21 of material width and preferably of a high resistance metal, such I as German silver, which" is bent to form a substantially large number of folds or leaves" 22, constituting auxiliary contact members,

' one another for a portion of their length by layers 23 ofinsulatingmaterial, such as fish paper, but which may be of othei insulating material.

The folded metal strip 21 is provided at the end adjacent the circuit terminal, with one or more folds, which are separated by wider spa'ces than the-spaces which separate the folds of the said strip remote from the circuit terminal. In the presentinstance the strip 21 is provided with two substantially wide spaces, 'one being formed between the first two folds or auxiliary members marked 30, 31 and the other between the third and fourth folds marked 32, 33. The space between the first two folds 30, 31 is filled with metalstrips of different conductivity than that of the long German silver strip, and in the present instance said space'has located in it a single-strip 40 of copper, and a strip 41 of German silver, which is provided with 1 three folds or leaves, which also constitute auxiliary members, two of which marked 45,

46 are located in the space between the folds 30, "31, and. the third fold of which, marked 47, is located in the space between the third and fourth folds 32, 33, ofthe-long strip 21.

The folds 45, 46 form a space inwhich is located a metal strip preferably of copper,

which is' bent to form two folds or auxiliary members marked 50, 51 whichterminate-in said space. These various folds are, electrically separated between their ends by strips 23 of insulation, such for instance as fish paper; and at one end, the strips marked 30, 40, 45, 50 are electrically connected with one another and with the circuit terminal 14, by

short pieces orstrips of metal preferably copper, which extend but partially the length of the folds with which they make metallic contact. -The folds or leaves of the various strips may be secured to the side of.

the terminal 14 in any suitable manner, and

are herein shownas. secured by screws 62, which extend through holes in an outside plate or clamping bar 63 and through 0 enings in. the various members or folds of the resistanceand into threaded sockets in plugs or nuts 64, which are located in, suitable holes in the circuit termina1'14, said nuts being insulated from said terminal by bushings 65 of insulating material, and said screws being-insulated from the folded strips of the metallic resistance by bushings 66 of insulatin .material.

It wil be understood that the folded metal strips are applied to the side of the circuit terminal, preferably with the upper and lower edges of the folds in the planes of the upper andlower surfaces of the terminal, so as to form continuations of said surfaces. I 1

In practice it is preferred to make the re'-' sistance. 20 of such width, that the space between the end of the resistance on one terminal and the next adjacent terminal is lessthanthe width of the movable contact member 15, so that the latter in its movement may be engaged with one terminal and with the resistance of the next adjacent terminal,

and on the further movement of the contact member from .the terminal 14 of one con- ,nection as 7 toward the terminal 14 of the connection 6, the resistance 20 of the ter- 'minal of connection 7 is gradually introduced into the circuit of said connection, and the resistance 20 of the terminal of connection 6 is gradually cut out of the circuit of connection 6.

At' a point midway between the terminals of the connections 7, 6, the movable contact member 15 engages both resistances, and on further movement engages the terminal of connection 6-before it leaves the resistance attached to the terminal of connection 7.. As a result the ampera ge of the current between adjacent terminals is reduced to a substantially small amperage by the large amount of resistance, and sparkingor arcing between the movable contact member and stationary contact member or terminal which it leaves,

is avoided or at least reduced to a point where it is negligible and not injurious.

By reference to Fig. 2, it will be observed thatthe folds or leaves of the various strips 'forming the resistance, practically constitute auxiliary contact members which are thin and which are electrically separated for the greaterportion of their length, yet are electrically connected at their ends, so that, as

the contact member 15 slides across the edges of the thin leaves or auxiliary contact mem-. bers, the resistance is gradually introduced into or. cut out from the circuit. In the I present instance, the auxiliary contact members are shown as substantially parallel and in close proximity to one another, and while this construction is. especially .adaptedfor use where a space of minimum width between theterminals is available, as inthe endcell switch herein shown, it is not desired to limit the invention to this particular construction, as the auxiliary members may be otherwise spaced apart;

In the present instance, the tapering metallic resistance is'shown as secured to the I stationary terminals, but it is not desired to limit the invention in this respect. The circuit controller of the end cell switch herein shown, is designed to handle" very large currents as for instance as great as 40,000 amperes, and it will readilyfbe understood, that sgarking or arcing between the movable mem or 15 and the stationary members. or terminals 14 would under such circumstances be very disastrous if permit- I ted to occur.

The main contact members are made of substantialwidth so as to carry the large current, and to avoid the disastrous sparking or short circuiting between adjacent terminals or contact members, a taperin metallic resistance is employed which is attached to one of the main contact members to move therewith and to have a sliding engagement with the cooperating main contact I member. I In the construction of metallic resistance herein shown, a two fold'tapering effect is obtained, one due to the continuous, 'strip 21 and the other to the auxiliary metal strips located nearthe main contact member or terminal. The auxiliary strips which form part. of the tapering metallic resistance, also have the function of avoiding an arcbeing formed when the movable'conta'ct member pa'ssesfrom themain contact member onto the resistance. v

"It is preferred to employ the auxiliary strips when a current of large amperage is to be handled or when more than one battery cell isplaced in series between adjacent connections, but in other conditions the auxiliary strips maybe dispensed with and the single long strip depended upon to obtain the tapering resistance desired. By means of the metallic resistance, the latter wears evenly with the main contact or terminal;

and any. desired resistance within limits may be obtained, and a maximum resistance can be located in'narrow space.

laims: 1. In a circult' controller in cornbmatlon, a contact member, and a-reslstance attached Q to said member and comprising a metal strip provided with a plurality of folds, some of which are separated by spaces of different widths, auxiliary metal strips located in the wider of said spaces and provided with folds, and insulation between the folds 'of the main contact member to form a tapering resistance, some' of the said members adjacent to said main contact member having'interposed between them both metal members and insulating members.

3. 'A metallic resistance comprising a plurality of substantially thin members arranged with their edges in substantially the same plane and some of which are separated by spaces wider than others, auxiliary members located in the wider of said-spaces, and

-means for electrically separating said mem-' bers for a'portion of their length, and means 'for electrically connecting said members to form a tapering resistance.

' In testimony whereof, I have signed my "name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHAN M. ANDERSEN.

Witnesses: JAB. H. CHURCHILL,-

J. MURPHY. 

